CHAPTER FIVE
It was strange traveling in a train alone. Well, that isn't really strange, but it is strange if your appearance is that of a five year old when your real age is fifteen. And even stranger if the trip lasts about an hour. Marie sat on a seat looking at the slowly turning scenery outside the opposite window. It was now decided her age was five. She would be going to the same school and class as Conan though due to 'unusual intelligence'. She knew it, because she had Agasa-hakase do it for her. They would start tomorrow. It would be strange to start in grade school, but she could deal with it. At least she wouldn't be the only shrunken teen there.
As for now, her stop would come soon. Taking her backpack, Marie jumped down the seat and walked to the gigantic door. Less than a minute flew by and the train stopped with a hiss. Careful not to get stomped on Marie leapt out fast and ran up some stairs only to get down the next ones and stop at the bottom. She started digging her backpack and small hands grabbed a map. It was a map of Ekoda. There were two red circles marked on the map. One was Ekoda High School and the other the train station. Quickly glancing at her surroundings Marie folded the map neatly, putting it in her bag and started running towards the school. She had three hours to look for that crazy prankster magician.
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"Excuse me, sir!", Marie heard her small voice say to a bypasser.
The man glanced down, but didn't stop there. He just walked away like Marie wasn't real. The girl sent the retreating back a glare. That was rude! Why doesn't anyone help a five year old here? Marie sighed and decided to try another tactic.
Not long after a teenage girl came beside the 'crying' child to ask what's wrong.
"Are you lost?", she asked Marie who stopped crying immediately.
Her sky blue eyes snapped to the girl to see the Ran's features but with messy hair.
Lucky!
She returned the tear act.
"You're the first to talk to me!", she sobbed quietly, "I'm not lost", another sob, "I'm looking for someone", this time hiccup, "And no one helps me!"
Aoko hushed the child and Marie slowly dropped the act making it look quite natural. It's good she memorized the tips Conan told her yesterday.
"Now then, who are you looking for?", Aoko asked her still gently patting her back.
"Thanks. I'm looking for Kuroba Kaito-oniisan. Do you know him?"
The hand stopped. Then started shaking with anger. Oh. He must have done a prank to her not so long ago.
"Yeah, Aoko knows that Bakaito", Aoko clenched her hand into a fist.
Yup! He definitely pranked her. The teenager sighed and dropped her fist.
"Why are you looking for that big idiot?", she asked.
Marie grinned and got a surprised look from the teenager. Oh yeah! She must look like a little girl version of Kaito as she looks like Conan too.
"Magic! Can you tell me where he is?"
"Well, Aoko does know where he is but… Ah, well! Aoko could take you there. It's a park close to here. What's your name?", Aoko said and asked taking her hand.
"Edogawa Marie!"
"Nakamori Aoko. Nice to meet you, Marie-chan!"
"Nice to meet you, Aoko-oneechan!"
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First appeared some juggling balls. There were all sorts of them as Kaito replaced them with different colors all the time. The kids around him cheered, but Marie just looked, fascinated. It was even more awesome to see it in real life. Aoko had decided not to meet him, so she left her at the edge of the park, where she could go and blend in the crowd of children. She probably looked like the youngest of the group.
Anyway, she was determined to find out how the tricks worked, so she stared at the boy intensely. There were so many tricks in such short amount of time! Now he took out playing cards. He shuffled them in the air, which looked cool by the way, and cut the deck in half. He fluttered the cards open like fans and on the other hand was every red card and the other had every black one. Then Kaito threw both in the air and down came a black and a red fan.
Marie smirked. She got that! There was a pattern with that shuffling. An awesome one with that. Good thing her mom had showed her magic tricks often! The fan part she couldn't figure out, but she got something. At least she thought she did. She had to ask Kaito after the show.
After an awesome finale the kids cheered and swarmed around the young magician before going to their moms or the playing ground to continue where they left off. Marie was the only one left.
"That was awesome, oniisan!", she beamed.
Kaito grinned and crouched down flicking his hand and giving her a yellow flower.
"Why thank you, little lady! Who might I be thanking?"
Marie took the flower and grinned a Kaito grin.
"Edogawa Marie. What's your name?", she knew it already, but it was polite to ask.
"Kuroba Kaito. Magician extraordinaire at your service!"
The girl nodded giving the smirk again.
"That shuffle… may I try?"
Even with the poker face on, Marie could still see a little surprise in the magician's eyes. He recovered fast though and snapped his fingers puffing a deck to existence.
"Thanks!", she smiled and took the deck gracefully.
She turned the deck in her hands twice and then shuffled like her mom thought her. Not in the air, because that's a Kaito only -thing. It would be impossible for her. After a little shuffle, that took her thrice as long as Kaito, she cut the deck and spread the cards open like fans and started fluttering some cool air in her face. The cards were red and black in each hand, but not numbered like Kaito's had been. She sighed.
"This is all I can do from that trick. How much do you have to memorize to get them in order?", Marie gave the deck back.
Kaito popped it out of existence.
"You're doing great. How old are you?", he had a curious twinkle in his eyes.
Marie grinned again lifting her other hand in the air all fingers up. This time one eyebrow rose.
"Only five?"
"My brother is a year older", she said smiling.
She didn't really want to lie and this one particular magician was good at looking through lies. Kuroba Kaito grinned the same grin she had a little while back.
"Do you like magic?"
"Definitely!", the girl's smile widened, "Could you teach me sometime?"
Kaito patted her head, which felt weird to a fifteen year old, and replied.
"Sure thing! Do you have a cell phone?"
That wasn't a problem, since Agasa-hakase had purchased her a phone the day before yesterday. Marie nodded and took her phone out and opened it only to have it snatched from her hands and given back. There was a new number added.
"The Greatest Magician in the Universe that Everyone Worships?", she read slowly and raised her head frowning, "It's too long"
Kaito pouted and took the phone again deleting the 'Everyone Worships' part. He glared at her when she gave the phone back to him.
"Still too long"
After a long set of name ideas Marie was finally happy with 'Magician Extraordinaire'.
"Do you want my number?", she asked already guessing the answer.
"I have it already"
She knew it.
"Okay. I have to go for today. Are you here the next Sunday too?"
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Yes! I have Kaitou Kid's number! Mission accomplished.Marie skipped her way happily to Mouri Agency from Agasa's house, where Ran and everyone else thought she was for the past six hours. She giggled happily thinking of Edogawa Conan's and Kaitou Kid's first meeting on the rooftop. What would the thief think after the boy introduces himself as her sister adding 'detective' to the end?
I can't wait! This will be so interesting!
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This story is interesting to write... It was hard to make this chapter though. Kaito was a little off here for my tastes and Marie is really not acting like a five year old. Hope you liked it anyway. In the next one they're starting Grade School.